Methods of making center-in-shell chewable compositions with functional components

Abstract

Methods of making a center-in-shell chewable composition including forming an inner portion slurry by mixing together water and an inner functional component, forming an outer portion slurry by mixing together a hydrocolloid base and an outer functional component, and cooking the mixture of the hydrocolloid base and the outer functional component molding the inner portion slurry and the outer portion slurry to form a molded slurry by placing the outer portion slurry in a mold, and placing the inner portion slurry inside the outer portion slurry in the mold, and conditioning the molded slurry to form a center-in-shell chewable composition. In some examples, the methods include concurrently depositing the inner and outer portion slurries. In some examples, the methods include forming an inner portion slurry with a water activity similar to the outer portion slurry.

1 . A method of making a center-in-shell chewable composition comprising:
 forming an inner portion slurry by mixing together water and an inner functional component;   forming an outer portion slurry by:
 mixing together a hydrocolloid base and an outer functional component; and 
 cooking the mixture of the hydrocolloid base and the outer functional component at a temperature sufficient to cause the outer portion slurry to form a gel; 
   molding the inner portion slurry and the outer portion slurry to form a molded slurry by placing the outer portion slurry and the inner portion slurry in a mold in a configuration where the outer portion slurry surrounds the inner portion slurry; and   conditioning the molded slurry to form a center-in-shell chewable composition.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the outer functional component is mixed together with the hydrocolloid base in an amount of 2 to 35 percent of the weight of the outer portion slurry. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein forming the outer portion slurry further comprises mixing together a sweetener, water, gelatin, and starch to form the hydrocolloid base. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein forming the inner portion slurry further comprises mixing together a sweetener with the water and the inner functional component. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the sweetener represents not more than 72 percent of the weight of the inner portion slurry; and   the inner functional component represents not more than 50 percent of the weight of the inner portion slurry.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein forming the outer portion slurry further comprises mixing together the following components to form the hydrocolloid base:
 a sweetener in an amount of 24 to 65 percent of the weight of the outer portion slurry;   water in an amount of 15 to 30 percent of the weight of the outer portion slurry;   a thickener in an amount of 1 to 4 percent of the weight of the outer portion slurry;   gelatin in an amount of 2 to 7 percent of the weight of the outer portion slurry; and   starch in an amount of 2 to 10 percent of the weight of the outer portion slurry.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the outer functional component is mixed together with the hydrocolloid base in an amount of 2 to 35 percent of the weight of the outer portion slurry. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising formulating the inner portion slurry to have an inner water activity that is similar to an outer water activity of the outer portion to limit components of the inner portion slurry and the outer portion slurry migrating between the inner portion slurry and the outer portion slurry. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising embossing the outer surface of the center-and-shell composition with indicia. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the inner functional component and the outer functional component are selected to complement one another. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the inner functional component and the outer functional component are the same. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the inner functional component defines a first inner functional component and the method further comprises mixing a second inner functional component into the inner portion slurry. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein cooking the mixture of the hydrocolloid base and the outer functional component includes heating the mixture of the hydrocolloid base and the outer functional component to a temperature between 240° F. to 245° F., the method further comprising:
 cooling the outer portion slurry to a temperature of 155-205° F.; and 
 mixing a heat sensitive functional component into the outer portion slurry after cooling the outer portion slurry to a temperature of 155-205° F. 
 
     
     
         14 . A method of making a center-in-shell chewable composition comprising:
 forming an inner portion slurry by mixing together water and an inner functional component;   forming an outer portion slurry by:
 mixing together a hydrocolloid base and an outer functional component; and 
 cooking the mixture of the hydrocolloid base and outer functional component; 
   molding the inner portion slurry and the outer portion slurry to form a molded slurry by concurrently depositing the outer portion slurry and the inner portion slurry into a mold with a nozzle including a center port and an annular port as follows:
 depositing the outer portion slurry into the mold through the annular port of the nozzle to form a shell base; 
 depositing the inner portion slurry inside the shell base through the center port of the nozzle; and 
 depositing additional outer portion slurry around the inner portion slurry within the shell base through the annular port of the nozzle to form a shell cap; and 
   conditioning the molded slurry to form a center-in-shell chewable composition.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein molding the inner portion slurry and the outer portion slurry to form the molded slurry includes forming the mold with starch. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein conditioning the molded slurry includes drying the molded slurry at 60° F. to 140° F. for 12 to 24 hours. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein drying the molded slurry includes reducing the temperature of the environment surrounding the molded slurry over a 12 to 24 hour period. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein drying the molded slurry includes adjusting the relative humidity of the environment surrounding the molded slurry to 20% to 30% relative humidity. 
     
     
         19 . A method of making a center-in-shell chewable composition comprising:
 forming an outer portion slurry with an outer water activity by:
 mixing together a hydrocolloid base and an outer functional component; and 
 cooking the mixture of the hydrocolloid base and the outer functional component; 
   forming an inner portion slurry with an inner portion water activity that is similar to the outer water activity to limit components of the inner portion slurry and the outer portion slurry migrating between the inner portion slurry and the outer portion slurry, where forming the inner portion slurry includes mixing together water and an inner functional component;   molding the inner portion slurry and the outer portion slurry to form a molded slurry with the inner portion slurry surrounded by the outer portion slurry; and   conditioning the molded slurry to form a center-in-shell chewable composition.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein:
 forming the outer portion slurry further comprises mixing together the following components to form the hydrocolloid base:
 a sweetener in an amount of 24 to 65 percent of the weight of the outer portion slurry; 
 water in an amount of 15 to 30 percent of the weight of the outer portion slurry; 
 a thickener in an amount of 1 to 4 percent of the weight of the outer portion slurry; 
 gelatin in an amount of 2 to 7 percent of the weight of the outer portion slurry; and 
 starch in an amount of 2 to 10 percent of the weight of the outer portion slurry; 
   the outer functional component is mixed together with the hydrocolloid base in an amount of 2 to 35 percent of the weight of the outer portion slurry;   forming the inner portion slurry includes mixing together a sweetener with the water and the inner functional component, where:
 the sweetener represents not more than 72 percent of the weight of the inner portion slurry; and 
 the inner functional component represents not more than 50 percent of the weight of the inner portion slurry; 
   cooking the mixture of the hydrocolloid base and the outer functional component includes heating the mixture of the hydrocolloid base and the outer functional component to a temperature between 240° F. to 245° F.;   molding the inner portion slurry and the outer portion slurry to form the molded slurry includes concurrently depositing the outer portion slurry and the inner portion slurry into a starch mold with a nozzle including a center port and an annular port as follows:
 depositing the outer portion slurry into the mold through the annular port of the nozzle to form a shell base; 
 depositing the inner portion slurry inside the shell base through the center port of the nozzle; and 
 depositing additional outer portion slurry around the inner portion slurry within the shell base through the annular port of the nozzle to form a shell cap; and 
   conditioning the molded slurry includes drying the molded slurry at 60° F. to 140° F. for 12 to 24 hours and gradually reducing the temperature over the 12 to 24 hour period.